Data Used For Regression Analysis Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2850 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? This part of the study will deal with the results obtained from the regression analysis. It will also include a second part which will focus on discussion and interpretation of the results which have been obtained following the regression analysis. 4.1 DATA USED FOR REGRESSION ANALYSIS For the regression analysis time series data has been used for the variables, both dependent and independent. The data used ranges from 2000 Q1 to 2012 Q2. The independent variables used are namely GDP growth, short terms interest rate, change in inflation rate and corporate indebtedness. The graphs below show the data which have been used for all the independent variables. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Data Used For Regression Analysis Finance Essay" essay for you Create order From the figure below, it can be observed that GDP growth had always been a positive figure before the crisis. However, during and after the crisis this situation has changed to a worsening one whereby instead of having growth in the value of the gross domestic product, the country was experiencing a decline in GDP. Figure 1: GDP Growth from 2000 Q1 to 2012 Q2 Looking at Figure 2 below, it can be found that interest rates during the crisis were at a really high value. After this period of 2007/2008, however the interest rate figure has declined. Figure 2 : Short Term Interest Rates from 2000 Q1 to 2012 Q2 From the graph below, which shows the non performing ratio against time, it can be seen that the NPL ratio has had an abrupt increase during the Global Financial Crisis. The situation is now changing and last year has experienced a small but significant decrease in the value of the NPL ratio. This is surely an indication that the situation is getting better and that the credit risk faced by banks has started to decrease. Figure 3: Non Performing Loans From the above figure, it can be seen that corporate indebtedness has increased during the Global Financial Crisis perhaps mainly due to the fact that firms were facing hard times and that they had to borrow more money to inject in the businesses in order to survive. The value of corporate indebtedness has started to go down and we can only hope that this situation will continue. Inflation has also increased during the peak of the Global Financial crisis but since 2010 has started to decline as well. This can certainly be interpreted as good news for the economy in general and also for banks. A low inflation rate is a sign that the economy is in good health. 4.2 REGRESSION ANALYSIS The multiple regression analysis was carried out by regressing Non Performing Loans Ratio of UK banks on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, short term interest rate, inflation growth rate and corporate indebtedness for the United Kingdom. The data can be termed as time series data and the method used is multiple regression analysis which involves the use of ordinary least square method. The regression was run using the Microsoft Office tool, Microsoft Excel 2007. The results which were then analysed and interpreted for the purpose of the study are namely: the coefficients, the t-ratios, the probability values obtained for each and every independent variable of the regression analysis. The R-squared and the adjusted R-squared values were also interpreted as well as the f-statistics and the Durbin-Watson statistic. The results of the regression can be seen in Appendix II. 4.2.1 P-Values of the independent variables. In statistics and economics, the p-value is defined as the probability of obtaining a test statistic which is at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed, under the assumption that the null hypothesis is not false. A low p-value usually implies that the result has lower chances of actually happening if the null hypothesis is true. Therefore, the result is believed to be more significant if the p-value is low in terms of statistical significance. Generally, the null hypothesis is accepted and the alternative is rejected and the alternative one accepted if the p-value is less than 0.01 or 0.05 which corresponds to a 1% or 5% chance of rejecting the null hypothesis. The p-values of the independent variable will usually provide an indication as to whether those variables are statistically significant or not. P-values for the different variables are shown in the table below: Independent variables P-values GDP growth rate 0.000356979 Short term Interest rate 1.64154E20 Inflation growth rate 0.350536289 Corporate indebtedness 7.51904E10 From the above table, it can be seen that the p-value for the independent variable GDP growth rate which is 0.000356 is far less than 0.01. thus, it can be implied that this variable is statistically significant at 1%, 5% and 10%. The above conclusion is also true for short term interest rate and corporate indebtedness which demonstrate really low p-values, found below 0.01. However, inflation growth rate has a high p-value and it would therefore be reasonable to conclude that its p-value show that it is statistically insignificant at 1%, 5% and 10%. 4.2.2 T-Ratios T-Ratio is often used in statistics and econometrics to measure whether an independent variable is statistically significant in explaining the dependent variable. It is normally calculated by dividing the estimated regression coefficient by its standard error. Thus, the t-statistic, as it is also called, is a tool for measuring the number of standard errors from which the coefficient is away from zero. T-Ratio values are generally accepted if they are found to be greater than +2 or less than -2. The various T-statistic values for the independent variables used in the regression are listed in the table below: Independent variables T-statistics GDP growth rate -3.862330603 Short term Interest rate -16.30973301 Inflation growth rate 0.943356008 Corporate indebtedness 7.767907625 From the regression results, it can be observed that the second variable which is short term interest rate has a very high negative t-ratio of -16.30973301. This implies that the short term interest rate independent variable is statistically significant and that it greatly contributes in predicting the value of the dependent variable which is the non performing loans ratio. An interpolation could be made and it could even be even said that the short term interest rate charged by banks is one of the main aspect which would help in determining the non performing loans ration of banks. The next variable investigated which is inflation growth rate has a t-ratio of a value of 0.943356008. This implies that the inflation growth rate is statistically insignificant as it has a value of less than 2. Thus the Non performing loans ratio of banks is not really dependent on the inflation growth rate. It might have an indirect effect on the balance sheet of banks but according to the regression analysis performed in this study it does not have any direct relationship. The third independent variable which is the Gross Domestic Product growth rate has a t-ratio of -3.862330603 according to the results of the regression. This can be interpreted as being statistically significant as the value is less than -2. Therefore it can be said that the GDP growth rate has an impact on the NPL ratio value of banks in general. It could be concluded that if the value of GDP growth rate is high the NPL ratio value will on its part undergo a decrease. The last independent variable which has been investigated is corporate indebtedness. The results of the regression show that its t-statistics has a value of 7.767907625 which makes it statistically significant as its value is greater than 2. Therefore it can be said that corporate indebtedness definitely has an impact on the non performing loans ratio of banks and the positive sign of it shows that if the amount of debt taken by companies increases, so will the non performing loans ratio of banks. It would be quite logical to come to such a conclusion as if the number of loans increase the probability of default will also go up and therefore the credit risk faced by banks will also be larger. 4.2.3 Values of the coefficients of the independent variables The degree to which the independent variables are associated with the dependent variable can be often identified by analysing the coefficients of the independent variables after the regression is run. In this particular study, it will indicate to what extent the independent variables GDP growth rate, Short term interest rates, inflation and corporate indebtedness will affect the dependent variable which is the non performing loans ratio of UK banks. For the first independent variable which is the Gross Domestic Product Growth rate, its coefficient after running the regression is found to be -0.330019012. The coefficient being negative, it could be argued that GDP growth rate has a negative relationship with the dependent variable (NPL ratio). Also, considering the results of the p-value and t-statistics for the same variable it can further be said that GDP growth rate has a negative and statistically significant relationship with non performing loans ratio. Thus it can be assumed that if GDP growth decreases non ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬performing loan ratio will increase. The next variable investigated is short term interest rates charged by banks which has a positive coefficient of 0.516833108. This implies that short term interest rates has a positive relationship with non performing loans ratio and that it could well be that it could have an impact on the dependent variable. This is accentuated by the fact that both the p-value and the t-statistics are statistically significant. So, it could be concluded that that short term interest rates can have a significant impact on the credit risk faced by banks. The higher the interest rate charged the greater are the chances of having a higher probability of default rate. The third variable which is inflation is statistically insignificant when looking at its p-value and t-ratio. However the fact that its coefficient is positive shows that non performing loans ratio will tend to rise with an increase in inflation. With a high inflation rate, domestic banks may face a higher level of credit risk as with a general increase in the price level, companies and even individuals may find it hard to pay back their loans. Corporate indebtedness also has a positive coefficient which would normally lead to the conclusion that the non performing loans ratio will undergo an increase if debt from the private sector goes up. It is quite logical to come to such a conclusion as the greater the amount of loans given by banks to companies and firms, the greater will be the probability of default. Credit risk faced by banks normally depend also a lot on the types of loans given to firms and also on the collateral which has been given as guarantee. So, the level of debt of companies plays a major role in the estimation of a default rate for banks. 4.2.4 R-Squared values R-squared, also termed as the coefficient of determination is the most commonly used measure of the goodness of fit of a regression line. R squared measures the proportion or percentage of the total variation in the dependent variable explained by the regression model. R squared is normally non negative and values are found to be between zero and one. A value of 1 usually means a perfect fit while a value of zero would normally mean that there is no relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variables. R square also provides a measure of how well future values are likely to be estimated by the system of equations and the regression analysis. R squared is calculated as follows: R2 = 1 SSE / SST For the model used in this present study, it can be observed that the R-squared value is quite high. It is equal to 0.8 and is close to 1.0. Thus it can be deduced that the dependent variables are highly correlated with the dependent variable. The dependent variable which is the non performing loans ratio can therefore be said to be highly related to the dependent variables which are the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, short term interest rates, inflation rate and corporate indebtedness. Consequently, it can be said that about 85% of the variation in the dependent variable which is the non performing loans ratio is explained by the independent variables found in the equation while the remaining 15% is explained by the error tem. The error term will usually capture the factors which have not been mentioned in the set of independent variables. The error term will represent the effect of those variables which have not been included in the regression. 4.2.5DurbinÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬Watson statistic The Durbin-Watson statistic is a test which is used in statistics and econometrics to allow the detection of autocorrelation in the residuals which have been obtained after the regression has been run. If et is the residual associated with the observation at time t, then the test statistic is d = {sum_{t=2}^T (e_t e_{t-1})^2 over {sum_{t=1}^T e_t^2}}. In simpler terms it can be said that d is approximately equal to 2(1-r) where r is the sample auto correlation of the residuals obtained after the regression has been run. The value of this statistical value normally lies in the range of zero to four. A value of d being equal to 2 suggests that there is no presence of autocorrelation while small values of d are usually a sign that successive error term are positively correlated. A value which is inferior to one is also seen as being a bad sign. A level of more than 2 would mean negative autocorrelation and this would imply underestimating the level of significance. Here, it can be seen from the regression results that it has a value which is positive and quite strong of 1.7953 and therefore we can deduce that there is no misspecifications of errors. It can therefore be deduced that there is evidence of positive serial correlation. 4.2.6 Correlation between the variables    GDP IR INFLATION DEBT NPL GDP 1 IR 0.19246 1 INFLATION -0.14265 -0.1936 1 DEBT -0.46554 -0.37221 0.485733 1 NPL -0.1691 -0.81042 0.003032 -0.07156 1 Correlation analysis has as main objective to measure the strength or degree to which the variables in an econometric model are associated. The correlation coefficient will normally measure the strength of this relationship. While doing correlation analysis, the average value of one variable based on the fixed value of one other variable is attempted to be estimated or predicted. In correlation analysis the variable are treated symmetrically, that is, there is no distinction between the dependent and independent variables. Also, both variables are considered to be random. The correlation coefficient is normally situated between -1 and +1, whereby -1 value indicates perfect negative correlation while a value of +1 indicates positive correlation. A value of zero is seen as the variables not having any relationship between them. From the above results its can be seen that the correlation between non performing loans ratio and the GDP growth rate is negative which therefore leads to the conclusion that they are negatively correlated. Thus when the GDP growth rate will go down, the NPL ratio will go up and vice versa. The rest of the independent variables which are namely inflation growth rate, short term interest rate and corporate indebtedness all have positive correlation values which suggest that if their values would be on an increasing rend so will the value of the nonperforming loans ratio. This is certainly in line with the results of the regression analysis performed whereby it was found that an increase in GDP growth would mean a decrease in the probability of default while an increase in corporate indebtedness, short term interest rates or inflation would mean a rise in the value of the non performing loans ratio. 4.2.7 F-test An F-test is a test widely used in statistics and econometrics in which the test statistic has an F-distribution under the null hypothesis. The f-test is most widely used when comparing statistical models that have been fit to a data set, in order to identify the model that best fits the population from which the data were sampled. Exact F-tests mainly arise when the models have been fit to the data using least squares. The overall F-test is also significant according to the regression results having a value of F-stat. F( 3, 16) 2927.1[.000] We can thus deduce that we can reject the null hypothesis that all slope coefficients are simultaneously zero and accept the alternative hypothesis that the coefficients are not equal to zero. 4.3 Stress testing with the model To be able to stress test the equation which has been modeled in the previous chapter, an artificial shock can be introduced in the multiple regression analysis. The elements of the independent variables are replaced by the various which have been assumed. The shocks are introduced at the start of the multiple regression analysis. The non performing loans ratios for the assumed stress test scenarios are then calculated. In the following sections, three examples of macro stress testing will be considered. First, the impact of a temporary negative gross domestic product growth rate shock similar to that faced during the Global Financial Crisis will be analysed. Next, the impact of an increase in the short term interest rate will be examined. Lastly, a stress test is performed by applying combined GDP and short term interest rate shocks resembling the situation faced during the Global Financial Crisis 2007-2008.

Psychoanalysis Notion Of Memory - 1112 Words

Any fixedness for the subject can only arise out of a constant repetition of engagement in the environment that she finds herself within. For psychoanalysis, subjectivation is the result of constant repetition. As with all psychoanalysis, this conclusion comes empirical observerations from the couch; Freud observed that patients would repeat what happened in their past rather than articulate their past verbally, demonstrating the corporeality that is found in psychoanalysis notion of memory.1 Key to psychoanalysis is the notion of making active of what was passive beforehand, by making what was passive, active, the subject asserts herself as distinct and in control from the external world.2 The more that this mimesis takes place, the†¦show more content†¦After being removed from this comforting dyad, the child now has remain removed in order to strengthen and assert their subjectivity. If there remains no tension that comes from the separation, the child is unable to distin guish between self and other and the subject and object. At this stage, the child is having intense difficulty with organizing their experiences and various different parts of the body. For psychoanalysis, separating form the mother is an incredibly difficult but a fundamentally necessary process. The rigidification of the subject from this continual process of ambiguity and difficulty occurs when the child sees its own reflection. While prior to around the age of two, the child remains in an ambiguous state of subjectivation, in which subject, object and external and intenrnal are still incredibly difficult to separate from one another. The child only begins to see itself as a distinct and independent entity, when looking at the gestallt of the entirely organized and unitary reflection. The masterful appearance of the child s reflection is contrasted with the ambiguous and slave-like characteristics of the child as it currently is. This contrast and inadequacy that the baby has with the rigid structure of its own reflection forms the basis of the I that the subject will continue to emulate or attempt to idealize throughout her entire life. By identifying withShow MoreRelatedFirst Up Is Psychoanalysis And A Good Definition To Give1354 Words   |  6 PagesFirst up is psychoan alysis and a good definition to give is that this therapy deals with past unconscious mental patterns that came from childhood. This therapy was developed by Sigmund Freud and he was known for being very interested in the unconscious. Furthermore on the treatment type, it focuses on deep-rooted that most softened stemmed from childhood. By doing this therapy it lets the clients learn how to bring by repressed memories or experiences that could be casing distress. Let us look atRead MoreMental Health Issues and the Psychodynamic Approach Essay595 Words   |  3 PagesThe basic concept behind psychoanalysis is that a patient that suffers from mental health problems such as depression can address any regressed feelings thus, the patient gains insight of and can learn to work through their emotional ‘baggage’. It is a generalised notion that if the cause of the symptoms were tackled it would only be logical that the symptoms would desist. The psychodynamic approach is mainly comprised of ideas and notions suggested by Sigmund FreudRead MoreSnapshot1702 Words   |  7 PagesPsychoanalysis From the 1890s until his death in 1939, the Austrian physician Sigmund Freud developed a method of psychotherapy known as psychoanalysis. Freuds understanding of the mind was largely based on interpretive methods, introspection and clinical observations, and was focused in particular on resolving unconscious conflict, mental distress and psychopathology. Freuds theories became very well-known, largely because they tackled subjects such as sexuality, repression, and the unconsciousRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychology1568 Words   |  7 Pagesessay will begin with his biography explaining how he comes up with his theories and discuss his main concept on unconsciousness and sexual behaviour. Lastly, briefly go through his psychoanalysis techniques. Freud develops his concept on psychoanalysis from what he had experienced. Known as the father of psychoanalysis, Freud is born in 1856 in Austria, given the name Sigismund Schlomo Freud (The European Graduate School, 2012). Freud Sigmund suffered from losses during his childhood that cause hisRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychology1222 Words   |  5 PagesIn the early twentieth century of Europe, an Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis named Sigmund Freud constructed an original approach to the understanding of human psychology. Prior to the founding of psychoanalysis, mental illness was thought to come from some kind of deterioration or disease rooted in the brain. The certitude that physical diseases of the brain induced mental illness signified that psychological origins were disregarded. Freud insisted on studying the topic hopingRead More freud Essay617 Words   |  3 Pagesthe significant origin of the symptoms of mental disorders. That’s the origin of the repressed memory therapy that Freud discovered with his patients. Freud says â€Å" Staring out from the mechanism of cure, it now become possible to construct quite definite ideas of the origin of the illness†. Of course there are a lot of mental illnesses that are known and treated with the repressed memory therapy such as sexual abuse, however the large number of the mental diseases not always â€Å"repression†Read MorePsychoanalytical Approach And Cognitive Approach1434 Words   |  6 Pageswhich these perspectives have been applied. Lastly an analysis of the similarities and differences between the two perspectives. Psychoanalysis was created by Sigmund Freud in 1856-1939. Psychoanalysis is used to treat depression and anxiety disorder. Its only by cathartic can a person be cured. Cathartic experience is expressing feelings to get closure. Psychoanalysis therapy helps to release repressed emotions which are in the unconscious to be the conscious. This is what Freud believed gettingRead MoreEssay on Psychoanalysis and Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1134 Words   |  5 PagesPsychoanalysis and The Heart of Darkness  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Lacanian psychoanalysis, telling stories is essential to the analysands (re)cognition of trauma. Julia Kristeva refers to the analysands narrative as an instance of borderline [neurotic] discourse which gives the analyst the impression of something alogical, unstitched, and chaotic (42). She then explores the pleasure (jouissance) that the analysand experiences in the course of Lacans talking cure. For the analysand, the pleasureRead MoreThe Topic Of Visual Arts929 Words   |  4 Pageschange how they feel. An example of this in relation to visual arts would be the use of creativity therapy to enforce self-expression and positive emotions. ïÆ'Ëœ Psychoanalysis: Psychoanalysis is a therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud. It mainly focuses on one’s repressed unconscious thoughts. In relation to visual art, psychoanalysis might use an approach called the Rorschach inkblot test in dream therapy/dream analysis, where they would use inkblots, drawings or handwriting for the patientRead MoreAn Era Of Hard Work And Self Analysis Essay1552 Words   |  7 Pagessketches of Freudian slides, gained a wide audience for his theories of the mind. Freud’s findings on the hidden portion of the human mind, have been now widely accepted by the most schools of psychological thought. Known as â€Å"the father of psychoanalysis,† Freud’s work has been greatly dominant in the accepted imagination, popularizing such concepts as the unconscious, defense mechanisms, Freudian omissions and dream symbolism, while as well making a long-lasting impress on several fields as literature

Nature-Versus-Nurture Discussion Free Essays

Annie Murphy Paul’s article `Kid stuff: Do parents really matter?` outlines the findings of a highly controversial study on the role of nature and nurture in children’s education. The article states that a group of researchers from George Washington University and the Institute of Psychiatry in London have found that the role of parents is in fact much smaller than originally thought. The destiny of a child depends on the genetic makeup that in turn evokes responses from the environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Nature-Versus-Nurture Discussion or any similar topic only for you Order Now Parental influences can have little effect on the child’s temperament. The type of temperament (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic, or their combination) is inborn and does not allow of serious later influences. Parents can shape the child’s character, instilling certain cultural values and norms, but they can hardly be expected to a serious influence on the temperament. Related essay: Nature or Nurture: The Case of the Boy Who Became a Girl Answers Overall, the study covered in Annie Murphy Paul’s article (1998) attributes more importance to the so-called â€Å"evocative gene-environment correlations†. She states that these correlations include responses from the environment to a certain genetic composition. This means that a person is in a way â€Å"asking† for destiny, using the pre-determined factors to trigger an environmental reaction. Parents under such a perspective only have influence inasmuch they are prompting this reaction, and in the degree their responses can define a child’s development. In this respect, it would be interesting to consider parental influences on adopted children. In such families, the genetic makeup of parents and kids is completely unrelated, and the effect of genetics could be even greater. The role of parents in any case can consist in mitigating the negative manifestations of the child’s genetic heritage. The more parents can learn about the child’s genetics, the better they can be prepared to develop the child in the right way. Reference Paul, A.M. (1998, February). Kid stuff: Do parents really matter? Psychology Today 31(1), pp. 46-51.    How to cite Nature-Versus-Nurture Discussion, Essay examples

Revolution in France Who Benefited Most From The Essay Example For Students

Revolution in France: Who Benefited Most From The Essay Collapse Of The Ancien Regime?The Ancien Regime (French for Old Order) was the way society was run, in a period in French history occurring before the French Revolution (1789 1799). France was ruled by an absolute monarchy (a system where the king was classed as divine an infallible role) King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The French society was separated into classes or Estates. The first Estate was the Clergy who were extremely rich. There were about 100,000 of these people. They had control over censorship of the press and of educational institutions Their wealth came from the Roman Catholic Church, which was made up of the upper and lower Estates. The upper, Bishops and Abbots who had the authority and the lower, Priests and Monks who had a modest income and had no say in church affairs. The Second Estate was the Aristocracy or Nobility, which was made up of about 400,000 people. They owned 20% of all the land in France and paid no taxes. They were very wealthy and enjoyed a carefree life. Their only grievance was the power that the First Estate held. The Second Estate were the men who held positions in the government. They were also exempt from taxes. The special concern of the Second Estate was to see that the King did not introduce tax reform. They wanted more political power to make sure events like this did not happen. While they denounced the monarchys absolutism they wanted to set up their own form of it. The third and largest Estate was made up of the Bourgeoisie (educated and privileged middle class) and the Serfs (peasants). The King and the Aristocracy enjoyed parties, banquets and tax exemptions, while the Bourgeoisie and serfs had to pay heavy taxes. Many of the serfs died from starvation and the living suffered under enormous financial hardships. The Third Estate had no success in voting because of the differing opinions about the tax system between them and the Second Estate. The Third Estate despised the privileges of the Second Estate and hated the tax system, which involved only themselves, the majority, paying the heavy taxes. There was a huge need amongst the Third Estate, who represented the people of France for tax reform. The Second Estate worsened this situation because they were determined not to give up their tax concessions. This was a big problem for Louis and his advisors. King Louis and his wife Marie Antoinette were running the country into massive debt due to extravagance and ignorance. They needed the revenue that the Third Estate provided and yet the King was eager to have the Second Estate as his allies and did not want to displease them. Louiss chief financial advisor, Turgot knew that France desperately needed tax reform. The country couldnt continue to run in deficit, due to the debt that Louis had forced them into, because of Louiss fear of upsetting the Second Estate. Turgot was forcibly dismissed from court, due to Marie Antoinet tes detest for him. Neckers became the new financial advisor, and because of what happened to Turgot, Neckers was also fearful of advising any tax reform that would be too radical. Instead, Neckers brought in a loans repayment scheme, which brought France further and further into debt. Louis, being a weak king, recognized the power that the Second Estate had upon him so he did not want to upset them. All, because of the sheer size and beauty of Versailles, could see the overspending of the court. Eventually, the government became bankrupt. Under Louis XIV and Louis XV, France had gone to war several times. They had not gained any territory and had been humiliated. The worst war was the Seven Years War leaving France economically drained. Louis and Neckers involvement with the American War against England further worsened the economy and yet they still refused to tax the Second Estate. America was fighting for freedom against the harsh tax system that Britain had enforced upon them. The Bourgeoisie, whom many were soldiers in this war, could see that they were in a similar situation to the Americans, but this tyranny was from within their own country. The Americans, were fighting for the right of no taxation without representation, the right to bear arms against tyranny, the basic right of freedom that was only for the rich and noble, and that a Republic was superior to a Monarchy. The Bourgeoisies, who were businessmen, philosophers, lawyers and other educated men, began to expand on these new ideas. Any business expansion that occurred in France was met with increased taxes. These taxes were the unhappy responsibility of the Third Estate alone. The Bourgeoisie favoured a uniform tax system. People like Voltaire and Rousseau and others combined with new theories presented a new idea of a liberal society that thrived with free commerce. This period was called the Age of Enlightenment. What is the status of ethics in management? This i EssayOn October 5th 1789, 7000 starving people marched on the court at Versailles to ask the King for some bread. They camped outside the palace. That night some women broke into the palace and attempted to kill Marie Antoinette. She escaped and ran to the Kings room but was untouched because the King was still considered sacred. Lafayette then prevented any bloodshed by promising that the King would return with the mob to Paris. This is where Louis XVI became a virtual prisoner in the Palace of Tuileries. The Ancien Regime had collapsed. The Bourgeoisie benefited most from the collapse of the Ancien Regime because they seized an opportunity handed to them on a platter. They were the enlightened, educated ones and the action takers. While the King and the First and Second Estates were distracted trying to hold on to the past and their power and money, they underestimated the power of the common people, the peasants. The Third Estate knew that the serfs were starving under the heavy taxes and were discontent under the class system. They also knew that they could tap into the force that the serfs held by being the majority in France. With the power of majority over minority, they took over France. They promised bread to the starving and had ideas of creating a country where you could achieve high status, which disregarded your parentage. An improved France, free of Absolute Monarchists, Anarchists and Nobility. The other Estates could not rise over them was because they were the minority and did not have the support of the masses that the Bourgeoisie could command. The peasants benefited somewhat with the abolishment of taxes, yet even if they were still starving and lashed out, the Bourgeoisie now had a force to contain them. The Bourgeoisie formed the National Assembly, a National Guard, a new constitution, the Declaration of Rights to Men, power over the masses, power over the King, the elimination of tax exemptions, elimination of classes, elimination of tolls and pensions, elimination of feudal dues and tithes. The Bourgeoisie had power, had abolished the taxes that they were loathe to pay and had placed themselves in high positions of power to rule France, with the King a virtual prisoner in his own country.

Company Analysis of Bi

Introduction Glo-Bus achieved successful results at the end of the simulation exercise in Year 10. The company was rated the best among other players in the camera industry.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Analysis of Bi-lens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper explores factors and other dynamics that helped the company to succeed in the 5 years simulation exercise. The simulation started in Year 6 to 10. Glo-Bus was an online, PC-based game. The sport involved manipulation of a digital camera at a head-to-head competition with rival companies. Groups of people coordinated the work of the camera. The objective of the exercise was to operate a multi-product firm in the international environment successfully. The game involved drafting and executing a strategy that could give a business a competitive advantage over its rivals in the market. The plan had to prove its capacity to deliver good bot tom line results consistently and build shareholder value. For Glo-Bus, company managers jointly prepared a five-year business mission or a strategic plan to monitor and evaluate their performances and those of their competitors. The directors reviewed objectives and goals and progressively interrogated their overall results whenever necessary. The management of the Bi-lens Company acquired a charter. The document helped the business to provide the best quality camera equipment for consumers. This analysis focuses on the Bi-Lens Company. The research examines the performance of the business in terms of the simulation exercise under discussion and the team’s performance.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This study captures the competitive dimension that the Bi-Lens Company employed during the simulation. It explores ways that the organisation used to improve its ma rket standing and financial performance. The report evaluates the Bi-Lens Company and the various mechanisms it used to compete with other rivals within the context of appropriate social corporate responsibility. Bi-Lens’ competitive strategies The Bi-Lens Company endeavored to be a worldwide leader in the digital camera sector with innovative products, fair value and superior services in the market. The business sought to provide its customers with a product that utilised the most innovative and competitive technology. The organisation planned to offer excellent client services, fair pricing, and adopted best practices for customers. The company outlined several methods of fulfilling its objectives. The organisation’s vision was to be the best-cost provider. It also aimed at increasing sales through offering quality products at fair and market values. This aspect included the sustenance of a highly skilled workforce that related to the development and maintenance of p referred products. Engineers designed Bi-Lens’ products to incorporate a low-cost differentiation, and at the same time target broad and narrow market regions. The organisation’s goal was to appeal to diverse clients and provide them with value for their money. The company’s mission also involved the use of cost-effective strategy approaches that could allow for the incorporation of competitive attributes.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Analysis of Bi-lens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The business maintained a competitive edge over its rivals by listening and adjusting to value-conscious shoppers. The Bi-Lens Company utilised five robust strategies in the simulation. The first objective focused on maintaining a highly skilled and valuable workforce. This aspect increased productivity and quality of Bi-Lens’ services. The second goal entailed the provision of exceptio nal customer services. This point enticed the clients to have a preference for Bi-Lens’ cameras. The third goal underscored the sustenance of a fair market value. This fact was significant in offering clients with worthwhile services. The fourth intervention of the Bi-Lens Company was to offer quality cost-effective products with specifications that fulfilled consumer needs and outdid its competitors’ products. The Bi-Lens Company maintained consistency of its business initiatives. The management of the company linked its overall objectives to the training of its workforce with a view of attaining organisational objectives. The development of the workforce ensured the processing of products that met customers’ tastes and preferences. Bi-lens’ offensive and defensive strategic optionsAdvertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The organisation adopted offensive and defensive approaches to increase its ratings and financial results. The business integrated defensive options to ensure that products offered in the market were equal or greater than those of its competitors. This open strategy focused on outperforming the business rivals of the Bi-Lens Company. The initiative also enhanced the organisation’s market position in relation to rivals. The offensive intervention offered many features that appealed to a broad consumer base. This effort increased the client catchment population of the Bi-Lens Company and boosted its financial index. Another offensive alternative employed by the Bi-Lens Company entailed the development of instructional classes to assist buyers during their products’ selection. This tool could be equated to an incentive for the customers because it presented them with rare shopping experiences and assistances. Another defensive method employed by the Bi-Lens Company involv ed the implementation of competitive staff remuneration structures. Bi-Lens identified new players entering the industry and monitored their strategies in order to develop appropriate counter mechanisms. For example, development of barriers or a counter strategy underscored building a competitive brand preference and sustenance of strong customer loyalty through consistent provision of quality products that fulfilled targeted needs. Bi-Lens’ strategic approach to competing in a global camera market The Bi-Lens Company had to develop a foreign market entry strategy to compete with other business players. Foreign markets varied from the local ones based on political, legal, social and cultural considerations. Foreign business investors had to survey the political environment of any state because changes in laws and regulations would have affected the performance and operations of businesses. For instance, if the government in any of the European countries would have imposed a l aw that increased tax on imported goods, the company’s products would have been sold at a higher price. Customers during the simulation period made decisions based on the prices and quality of products; therefore, the Bi-Lens Company evaluated these aspects first before producing goods or services. This point meant that clients would have paid more than the company’s envisaged prices for the cameras. Based on the law of demand and supply, the cameras’ market demand would have digressed, and Bi-lens would have risked losing its customers to its competitors. Other factors to be considered by the Bi-Lens Company comprised of cultural and social considerations. Culture defined the way people lived in a society. Human beings based their social activities on cultural dimensions like language and moral practices. Products whose consumption would have caused moral conflicts among community members would not have made significant sales. The Bi-Lens Company understood the moral practices of a target market. This aspect helped the business to produce goods and services that were friendly to the market’s general culture. A proposed foreign market entry plan for the Bi-lens Company entailed the application of the concept of assemblies. In this strategy, Bi-lens initiated the local production of the parts of the digital camera and transported them to a foreign market for assembly. This intervention was suitable for the company because of its cost effectiveness in matters related to transportation and custom tariffs. The fact also enabled the Bi-Lens Company to perform local employee recruitments. This approach facilitated easy penetration of the business into a foreign market. In addition, it helped the business to overcome potential cultural and social obstacles like a different language. This design enhanced the domestic firm’s full concentration on research activities that focused on improvement of product development and related skills . The assembling framework built the confidence of the domestic firm with the foreign company which in this paper is the Bi-Lens Company. This fact ensured that the responsibility of decision making lay entirely with the domestic firm and thus facilitated quick action on stipulated agenda. This study confirms that the strategy of assembly brought successful results to the Bi-Lens Company. The intervention remained a cost-effective one and needed further improvement by the company. It gave room to the organisation to focus on product development. The Bi-Lens Company recognized the fact that it faced stiff competition from five other businesses in the same industry. The company affirmed that the competition may have been a significant threat to the business if it had not been well addressed. Competitors of the Bi-Lens Company created products similar to those of the organisation. The rival firms may have been a threat to Bi-Lens because they also laid down plans that may have countere d its market strategies. The Bi-Lens Company engaged various interventions to compete successfully against its rivals in 4 geographic regions of the world. The first strategy involved increment in the volume of its advertisements. The business increased its advertising budget annually to continue to exploit opportunities and establish itself as a market leader (Thompson, 23). This program intended to build on the company’s market shares in Europe and Africa. The region formed part of the biggest markets across the world. From Year 6, the Bi-Lens Company had an approximate market share of 37% and had to strive to attain 50% of market shares by year 8. The company directed its attention to the warranty period and had to seek ways of adding multi-featured models to improve on its weaknesses. The company also increased its marketing recourses in North America. The company had realized losses in North America where it had recorded the lowest regional market share of about 11%. On a broader scale, the increased advertising efforts and market budgetary allocation of the Bi-Lens Company improved the company’s competitive advantage. The Bi-Lens Company provided on-site technical support for different geographical regions. This approach ensured that every operation ran without incurring problems for the company. The other format integrated by the company was to provide extended warranty offers in the North American region. In addition, the Bi-Lens Company also incorporated a method of using mitigation measures effectively to resolve consumer concerns. The organisation made consumer experiences memorable in areas where it penetrated markets. Bi-Lens’ decisions to shift resources Bi-lens’ goal was to overcome market challenges mostly linked to stiff competition from other businesses in the digital camera industry. Part of the process of achieving this goal was through increasing the organisation’s marketing efforts to improve product rec ognition, reputation and work to sustain a competitive edge over its rivals. The Bi-Lens Company made crucial decisions by shifting resources from one area to another to support the execution its efforts. The Bi-Lens’ sales improvement effort related to the transformation of resources from quarterly sales’ promotions offered to buyers to realizing monthly discount deals. These deals would go up to 20% discount. This aspect would increase the number of sales for the company and its overall performance in the financial market. The Bi-Lens Company strived to improve the number of multi-store chains, online retailers and local camera shops that sold Bi-Lens’ products by building a strong relationship with buyers so that they could earn their loyalty. Bi-Lens worked with retailers by offering them its sales representatives. The company visited retailers and took feedback from them, and also offered advice. The organisation focused on a timely delivery of products to its clients. The company had an efficient labor support approach with expansive resources to implement its strategies. The labor and compensation objectives were comprehensive approaches that sought to align the workforce to meet the needs of the Bi-Lens Company and provide exceptional compensation packages. This point aimed at maintaining a highly skilled and valuable workforce. The focus of the work strategy was to link the quarterly demands of consumers to the projected sales. The compensation structure focused on the provision of efficient means of boosting the returns of the PAT’s while ensuring quality products. Company experts designed Bi-lens’ cameras with the help of high quality components sourced from foreign suppliers. The organisation manufactured two lines of cameras. These cameras comprised of the regular entry-level and professional multi-level digital cameras. The company worked closely with suppliers in gathering excellent parts used to assemble both entry-level and multi-level cameras. The business utilised diverse resources to manufacture its cameras. The main raw materials for manufacturing a camera included image resolution, LCD, and lens. These components were of high quality compared to the industry’s standards. Bi-Lens’ suppliers in conjunction with the management of the company transformed the constituents. The business worked with the suppliers for constant improvement of the components. The organisation also purchased quality parts that enhanced its desired P/Q ratings. The business used its money to brand diverse components. Bi-Lens developed a unique quality, brand of cameras that many customers appreciated. The organisation continued to work closely with suppliers to design strong and stylish camera bodies. The company’s branding styles were a great attraction to digital camera customers. It continued to utilise its funds by working on new and better designs. Bi-Lens built cameras with high imag ing device and control. The company worked closely with the software developers to source high quality image handling software for both entry level and multi-level cameras. Bi-Lens’ cameras had types of accessories added to them. The Bi-Lens Company provided unique features in its cameras. As an ambitious company, it endeavored to produce quality eye-catching cameras. The organisation’s cameras had unique applications that customers valued. The business continued to offer new and extra components in their camera lines. Bi-Lens’ multi-featured cameras had 12 unique applications. The company increased the accessories to improve its market ratings. The Bi-Lens Company used diverse models to manufacture quality cameras that made a huge commercial impact. The organisation used its funds to manufacture three models of entry-level and two models of multi-featured cameras. Technological innovation was significant to the success and competitive advantage of Bi-Lens over its rivals in the digital camera sector. Bi-Lens manufactured new and more competitive cameras by investing in research and development. The company’s research and development budgets continued to increase every year. The plans formed a critical part in the transformation of the organisation’s resources in order to support the execution of its business strategies. Bi-Lens’ spending on corporate social responsibility As a company, Bi-Lens offered the best-cost value cameras to its clients. The business provided customers with guaranteed products in the contemporary digital camera market and sold them at the most reasonable prices across the globe. Bi-Lens continued to improve product ratings to increase the numbers of retailers that sold its products. This paper suggests that good products in terms of quality usually move fast in the market. The Bi-Lens Company’s entry level and multi-featured cameras were among the best-rated in the industry. The organiza tion was committed to corporate social responsibility. A number of the practices that were part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities included quarterly promotions. Bi-Lens offered weekly and monthly promotions at discounts up to 20% and encouraged retailers to pass on the discounts to their customers. The business also provided a warranty period or technical support for its products. Bi-Lens provided customers with the confidence to buy great products by offering a reasonable warranty period. The company’s entry level-cameras carried 6 months to 1-year warranties depending on the purchased models. The business also built a strong technical support team, which assisted customers throughout the day and night. Provision of employment opportunities to locals in foreign markets was part of the social corporate responsibility of the organization (Landsburg, 46). The company would hire temporary PAT’s during the 3rd quarter of the season’s peak. It would also utilise overtime to compensate for product demand. Where necessary, Bi-Lens outsourced to compensate for customer demand or financial resources. These approaches were part of the company’s social corporate responsibility. The other functions included providing an annual base pay increase of at least 1% per year and camera incentive bonuses to ensure exceptional quality production. The company would also provide an exceptional retirement or insurance benefits package and a thorough training program for its workers. In addition, it would also offer quarterly bonuses for attendance. The rationale I would give to shareholders for these social corporate responsibilities is that they form part of the strategic plan to market the company and sell its brand. The SCR strategy would enable the organisation to achieve its objectives of growing the global market share and increasing its retail network. It would also promote the acceptance and preference of the company among c onsumers. Bi-Lens’ internal operations The Bi-Lens Company focused on providing consumers with leading products in the digital camera industry with markets all over the world. The company encountered diverse challenges in realizing its objectives. The managers of the Bi-Lens Company made decisions through consensus. The team functioned coherently as a whole to contribute to the management of the company (Graf, 25). The disadvantage of this approach of internal operations and decision making was that it consumed a lot of time. The team would take a significant amount of time to agree on basic approaches. The lost time would have otherwise been used to implement laid down strategies for the company’s growth and development. It was also difficult to achieve homogeneity among the team members. The foundation of Bi-Lens’ strategic operations plan was to lay emphasis on the achievement of the organisation’s goals. The company provided quality products at fair m arket value while maintaining a competitive edge over its rivals. Works Cited Graf, Mitche. Power Marketing, Selling, and Pricing: A business Guide for Wedding and Portrait Photographers, New York, USA: Amherst Media Inc., 2009. Print. Landsburg, Steven. Fair Play: What Your Child Can Teach You About Economics, Values and the Meaning of Life, New York, USA: Free Press, 2010. Print. Thompson, Arthur 2012, Strategy: Core concepts and analytical approaches (2nd Ed.). PDF file. Web. This assessment on Company Analysis of Bi-lens was written and submitted by user The Watchers to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Causes and Aims of World War One

The Causes and Aims of World War One The traditional explanation for the start of World War 1 concerns a domino effect. Once one nation went to war, usually defined as Austria-Hungary’s decision to attack Serbia, a network of alliances which tied the great European powers into two halves dragged each nation unwillingly into a war which spiraled ever larger. This notion, taught to schoolchildren for decades, has now been largely rejected. In The Origins of the First World War, p. 79, James Joll concludes: The Balkan crisis demonstrated that even apparently firm, formal alliances did not guarantee support and co-operation in all circumstances.† This doesn’t mean that the formation of Europe into two sides, achieved by treaty in the late nineteenth / early twentieth centuries, isn’t important, just that the nations were not trapped by them. Indeed, while they divided Europe’s major powers into two halves - The ‘Central Alliance’ of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, and the Triple Entente of France, Britain and Germany - Italy actually changed sides. In addition, the war was not caused, as some socialists and anti-militarists have suggested, by capitalists, industrialists or arms manufacturers looking to profit from conflict. Most industrialists stood to suffer in a war as their foreign markets were reduced. Studies have shown that industrialists did not pressure governments into declaring war, and governments did not declare war with one eye on the arms industry. Equally, governments did not declare war simply to try and cover up domestic tensions, like the independence of Ireland or the rise of socialists. Context: The Dichotomy of Europe in 1914 Historians recognize that all the major nations involved in the war, on both sides, had large proportions of their population who were not only in favor of going to war, but were agitating for it to happen as a good and necessary thing. In one very important sense, this has to be true: as much as politicians and the military might have wanted the war, they could only fight it with the approval – greatly varying, maybe begrudging, but present - of the millions of soldiers who went off to fight. In the decades before Europe went to war in 1914, the culture of the main powers was split in two. On the one hand, there was a body of thought – the one most often remembered now - that war had been effectively ended by progress, diplomacy, globalization, and economic and scientific development. To these people, who included politicians, large-scale European war had not just been banished, it was impossible. No sane person would risk war and ruin the economic interdependence of the globalizing world. At the same time, each nation’s culture was shot through with strong currents pushing for war: armaments races, belligerent rivalries and a struggle for resources. These arms races were massive and expensive affairs  and were nowhere clearer than the naval struggle between Britain and Germany, where each tried to produce ever more and larger ships. Millions of men went through the military via conscription, producing a substantial portion of the population who had experienced military indoctrination. Nationalism, elitism, racism and other belligerent thoughts were widespread, thanks to greater access to education than before, but an education that was fiercely biased. Violence for political ends was common  and had spread from Russian socialists to British women’s rights campaigners. Before war even began in 1914, the structures of Europe were breaking down and changing. Violence for your country was increasingly justified, artists rebelled and sought new modes of expression, new urban cultures were challenging the existing social order. For many, war was seen as a test, a proving ground, a way to define yourself which promised a masculine identity and an escape from the ‘boredom’ of peace. Europe was essentially primed for people in 1914 to welcome war as a way to recreate their world through destruction. Europe in 1913 was essentially a tense, warmongering place where, despite a current of peace and obliviousness, many felt war was desirable. The Flashpoint for War: the Balkans In the early twentieth century, the Ottoman Empire was collapsing, and a combination of established European powers and new nationalist movements were competing to seize parts of the Empire. In 1908 Austria-Hungary took advantage of an uprising in Turkey to seize full control of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a region they had been running but which was officially Turkish. Serbia was livid at this, as they wished to control the region, and Russia was also angry. However, with Russia unable to act militarily against Austria – they simply hadn’t recovered enough from the disastrous Russo-Japanese war – they sent a diplomatic mission to the Balkans to unite the new nations against Austria. Italy was next to take advantage and they fought Turkey in 1912, with Italy gaining North African colonies. Turkey had to fight again that year with four small Balkan countries over land there – a direct result of Italy making Turkey look weak and Russia’s diplomacy - and when Europe’s other major powers intervened no one finished satisfied. A further Balkan war erupted in 1913, as Balkan states and Turkey warred over territory again to try and make a better settlement. This ended once more with all partners unhappy, although Serbia had doubled in size. However, the patchwork of new, strongly nationalistic Balkan nations largely considered themselves to be Slavic, and looked to Russia as a protector against nearby empires like Austro-Hungary and Turkey; in turn, some in Russia looked at the Balkans as a natural place for a Russian-dominated Slavic group. The great rival in the region, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was afraid this Balkan nationalism would accelerate the breakdown of its own Empire  and was afraid Russia was going to extend control over the region instead of it. Both were looking for a reason to extend their power in the region, and in 1914 an assassination would give that reason. The Trigger: Assassination In 1914, Europe had been on the brink of war for several years. The trigger was provided on June 28th, 1914, when  Archduke Franz Ferdinand  of Austria-Hungary was visiting Sarajevo in Bosnia on a trip designed to irritate Serbia. A loose supporter of the ‘ Black Hand’, a Serbian nationalist group, was able to assassinate the Archduke after a comedy of errors. Ferdinand wasn’t popular in Austria – he had ‘only’ married a noble, not a royal - but they decided it was the perfect excuse to threaten Serbia. They planned to use an extremely  one-sided  set of demands to provoke a war – Serbia was never meant to actually agree to the demands – and fight to end Serbian independence, thus strengthening the Austrian position in the Balkans. Austria expected the war with Serbia, but in case of war with Russia, they checked with Germany beforehand if it would support them. Germany replied yes, giving Austria a ‘blank check’. The Kaiser and other civilian leaders believed swift action by Austria would seem like the result of emotion and the other Great Powers would stay out, but Austria prevaricated, eventually sending their note too late for it to look like anger. Serbia accepted all but a few clauses of the ultimatum, but not all, and Russia was willing to go to war to defend them. Austria-Hungary had not deterred Russia by involving Germany, and Russia had not deterred Austria-Hungary by risking the Germans: bluffs on both sides were called. Now the balance of power in Germany shifted to the military leaders, who finally had what they had been coveting for several years: Austria-Hungary, which had seemed loathe to support Germany in a war, was about to embark on a war in which Germany could take the initiat ive and turn into the much greater war it desired, while crucially retaining Austrian aid, vital for the  Schlieffen Plan. What followed was the five major nations of Europe – Germany and Austria-Hungary on one side, France, Russian and Britain on the other – all pointing to their treaties and alliances in order to enter into the war many in each nation had wanted. The diplomats increasingly found themselves sidelined and unable to stop events as the military took over. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia to see if they could win a war before Russia arrived, and Russia, who pondered just attacking Austria-Hungary,  mobilized  against both them and Germany, knowing this meant Germany would attack France. This let Germany claim victim status and mobilize, but because their plans called for a quick war to knock Russia’s ally France out before Russian troops arrived, they declared war on France, who declared war in response. Britain hesitated and then joined, using Germany’s invasion of Belgium to mobilize the support of the doubters in Britain. Italy, who had an agreement with Germany, refused to do anything. Many of these decisions  were  increasingly taken by the military, who gained ever more control of events, even from national leaders who sometimes got left behind: it took a while for the Tsar to be talked round by pro-war military, and the Kaiser wavered as the military carried on. At one point the Kaiser instructed Austria to cease trying to attack Serbia, but people in Germany’s military and government first ignored him, and then convinced him it was too late for anything but peace. Military ‘advice’ dominated over diplomatic. Many felt helpless, others elated. There were people who tried to prevent the war at this late stage, but many others were infected with jingoism and pushed on. Britain, who had the least explicit obligations, felt a moral duty to defend France, wished to put down German imperialism, and technically had a treaty guaranteeing Belgium’s safety. Thanks to the empires of these key belligerents, and thanks to other nations entering the conflict, the war soon involved much of the globe. Few expected the conflict to last more than a few months, and the public was generally excited. It would last until 1918, and kill millions. Some of those who expected a long war were Moltke, the head of the German army, and Kitchener, a key figure in the British establishment. War Aims: Why each Nation went to War Each nation’s government had slightly different reasons for going, and these are explained below: Germany: A Place in the Sun and Inevitability Many members of the German military and government were convinced that a war with Russia was inevitable given their competing interests in the land between them and the Balkans. But they had also concluded, not without justification, that Russia was militarily much weaker now than it would be should it continue to industrialize and modernize its army. France was also increasing its military capacity – a law making conscription last three years was passed against opposition – and Germany had managed to get stuck in a  naval race  with Britain. To many influential Germans, their nation was surrounded and stuck in an arms race it would lose if allowed to continue. The conclusion was that this inevitable war must be fought sooner, when it could be won, than later. War would also enable Germany to dominate more of Europe and expand the core of the German Empire east and west. But Germany wanted more. The German Empire was relatively young and lacked a key element that the other major empires – Britain, France, Russia – had: colonial land. Britain owned large parts of the world, France owned a lot too, and Russia had expanded deep into Asia. Other less powerful powers owned colonial land, and Germany coveted these extra resources and power. This craving for colonial land became known as them wanting ‘A Place in the Sun’. The German government thought that a victory would allow them to gain some of their rivals’ land. Germany was also determined to keep Austria-Hungary alive as a viable ally to their south  and support them in a war if necessary. Russia: Slavic Land and Government Survival Russia believed that the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires were collapsing  and that there would be a reckoning over who would occupy their territory. To many Russia, this reckoning would be largely in the Balkans between a pan-Slavic alliance, ideally dominated by (if not entirely controlled by) Russia, against a pan-German Empire. Many in the Russian court, in the ranks of the military officer class, in the central government, in the press and even among the educated, felt Russia should enter and win this clash. Indeed, Russia was afraid that if they didn’t act in decisive support of the Slavs, as they had failed to do in the Balkan Wars, that Serbia would take the Slavic initiative and destabilize Russia. In addition, Russia had lusted over Constantinople and the Dardanelles for centuries, as half of Russia’s foreign trade traveled through this narrow region controlled by the Ottomans. War and victory would bring greater trade security. Tsar Nicholas II was cautious, and a faction at court advised him against war, believing the nation would implode and revolution would follow. But equally, the Tsar was being advised by people who believed that if Russia didn’t go to war in 1914, it would be a sign of weakness which would lead to a fatal undermining of the imperial government, leading to revolution or invasion. France: Revenge and Re-conquest France felt it had been humiliated in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 – 71, in which Paris had been besieged and the French Emperor had been forced to personally surrender  with  his army. France was burning to restore its reputation and, crucially, gain back the rich industrial land of Alsace and Lorraine which Germany had won off her. Indeed, the French plan for war with Germany, Plan XVII, focused on gaining this land above everything else. Britain: Global Leadership Of all the European powers, Britain was arguably the least tied into the treaties which divided Europe into two sides. Indeed, for several years in the late nineteenth century, Britain had consciously kept out of European affairs, preferring to focus on its global empire while keeping one eye on the balance of power on the continent. But Germany had challenged this  because it too wanted a global empire, and it too wanted a dominant navy. Germany and Britain thus began a naval arms race in which politicians, spurred on by the press, competed to build ever stronger navies. The tone was one of violence, and many felt that Germany’s upstart aspirations would have to be forcibly slapped down. Britain was also worried that a Europe dominated by an enlarged Germany, as victory in a major war would bring, would upset the balance of power in the region. Britain also felt a moral obligation to aid France and Russia because, although the treaties they’d all signed didn’t require Britain to fight, it had basically agreed to, and if Britain remained out either her former allies would finish victorious but extremely bitter, or beaten and unable to support Britain. Equally playing on their mind was a belief that they had to be involved to maintain great power status. As soon as war began, Britain also had designs on German colonies. Austria-Hungary:  Long-Coveted  Territory Austria-Hungary was desperate to project more of its crumbling power into the Balkans, where a power vacuum created by the decline of the Ottoman Empire had allowed nationalist movements to agitate and fight. Austria was particularly angry at Serbia, in which a Pan-Slavic nationalism was growing which Austria feared would lead to either Russian domination in the Balkans, or the total ousting of Austro-Hungarian power. The destruction of Serbia was deemed vital in keeping Austria-Hungary together, as there were near twice as many Serbs within the empire as were in Serbia (over seven million, versus over three million). Revenging the death of  Franz Ferdinand  was low on the list of causes. Turkey: Holy War for Conquered Land Turkey entered into secret negotiations with Germany and declared war on the Entente in October 1914. They wanted to regain land which had been lost in both the Caucuses and Balkans, and dreamed of gaining Egypt and Cyprus from Britain. They claimed to be fighting a holy war to justify this. War Guilt / Who was to Blame? In 1919, in the Treaty of Versailles between the victorious allies and Germany, the latter had to accept a ‘war guilt’ clause which explicitly stated that the war was Germany’s fault. This issue – who was responsible for the war – has been debated by historians and politicians ever since. Over the years trends have come and gone, but the issues seem to have polarised like this: on one side, that Germany with their blank cheque to Austria-Hungary and rapid, two front mobilization was chiefly to blame, while on the other was the presence of a war mentality and colonial hunger among nations who rushed to into to extend their empires, the same mentality which had already caused repeated problems before war finally broke out. The debate has not broken down ethnic lines: Fischer blamed his German ancestors in the sixties, and his thesis has largely become the mainstream view. The Germans were certainly convinced war was needed soon, and the Austro-Hungarians were convinced they had to crush Serbia to survive; both were prepared to start this war. France and Russia were slightly different, in that they weren’t prepared to start the war, but went to lengths to make sure they profited when it occurred, as they thought it would. All five Great Powers were thus prepared to fight a war, all fearing the loss of their Great Power status if they backed down. None of the Great Powers was invaded without a chance to step back. Some historians go further: David Fromkin’s ‘Europe’s Last Summer’ makes a powerful case that the world war can be pinned on Moltke, head of the German General  Staff, a man who knew it would be a terrible, world changing war, but thought it inevitable and started it anyway. But  Joll  makes an interesting point: â€Å"What is more important than the immediate responsibility for the actual outbreak of war is the state of mind that was shared by all belligerents, a state of mind that envisaged the probable imminence of war and its absolute necessity in certain circumstances.† (Joll  and Martel, The Origins of the First World War, p. 131.) The Dates and Order of the Declarations of War

Global Marketing in Albania Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Marketing in Albania - Assignment Example This research will begin with the population and demographics of Albania. As of July 2014, the population of Albania is 3,020,209, of which 19.3 percent belongs to 0 to 14 age groups, 19.2 percent belongs to 15- to 24 age group, 19.2 percent belongs to 25 to 54 age group, 10.5 percent to 55 belongs to 64 age group and 11.1 percent belongs to 65 years and over age group. Population growth rate is 0.3 % whereas birthrate is 12.73 births per 1000 population. Knowing about the population, the demographics, the trends and related statistics of a specific country or region is critically important while planning for marketing of certain goods or services to that market mainly to design and develop the marketing strategies by considering customer requirements and preferences. Albania is a small mountainous country with a long Adriatic coastline. The country has a Muslim majority. Basically, Albanians are divided into two, the Northern Albanians or Ghegs, and the Southern Albanians or general ly termed as Tosks. Shkumbin River plays a significant role in dividing the southern and northern Albanians. According to Albania’s official figures, Muslims are 59 percent of the Albanian population, Catholic amounts to 10 percent of Albania’s population and Orthodox Christian below 10 percent. For a global marketer, it is very important to see where the economy stands and how it stays in comparison with other economies either nearby or with those the company proposes to expand its marketing. Albania is ranked 68, in relation to business environment and ease of business. The figure given below shows the ranks of Albania and other comparator economies on the ease of doing business.

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you Essay

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you about how they use financial information in decision making - Essay Example According to Answers.com, financial information systems describe a "system that accumulates and analyzes financial data in order to make good financial management decisions in running the business.If managers at any company, including Intel, wish to make the best decisions possible, they need to have certain information readily accessible at their fingertips. Financial information can be used for the functions of planning, implementation, and control. The basic objective of the financial information system is to meet the firm's financial obligations as they come due, using the minimal amount of financial resources consistent with an established margin of safety. Outputs generated by the system include accounting reports, operating and capital budgets, working capital reports, cash flow forecast, and various What-If Analysis reports. The evaluation of financial data may be performed through ratio analysis, trend evaluation, and financial planning modeling. Financial planning and forec asting are facilitated if used in conjunction with a Decision Support System (DSS)" (2008). The purpose of this paper is to determine what Intel's presentation of their financial information tells you about how they use financial information in decision making.In order for any company, including Intel, to determine how it is performing in the marketplace, it must keep tabs on its financials at all times. This is often done in the form of financial statements such as the income statement and balance sheet. These two financial statements can provide very valuable information to managers and stakeholders provided they can be interpreted correctly and used accordingly. If they are utilized to their fullest extent, Intel can spotlight any challenges such as low sales or high costs early on and correct them. They can also use this financial information to determine whether or not inventory and credit are being mismanaged, if certain fixed assets are tying up too many funds, or to spot tre nds so that they can adjust the appropriate budgets accordingly. The bottom line to consider, however, is how these things affect the performance of management. Our case study tells us: As a case in point, consider Intel Corp., one of the leading lights of the technology sector for the past 30-some years. They've had their ups and downs, but have been reasonably consistently financially successful. And one of the reasons, of course, is that they have attended very carefully to the financials, and to their relationships with their investors. A quick visit to Intel's Investor Relations website reveals that the company provides certain types of information to the public and the financial markets. This information includes financial information such as earnings results, business outlook, annual reports, 10-Ks, proxy statements, fundamentals, financial statements, and SEC filings. They provide stock information such as a historical stock chart, historical price lookup, investment calculator, stock splits, stock buyback summary, dividend summary, SEC section 16 filings, analyst coverage, earnings estimates, Intel's Transfer Agent, stock purchase and dividend reinvestment. They also offer some of this information through online subscriptions (Intel, 2008). The way in which Intel uses financial information to make decisions is evident in their 10K statement. Underneath the 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations,' they state: We make equity investments in companies around the world to further our strategic objectives and support our key business initiatives, including investments through our Intel Capital program. We generally focus on investing in companies and initiatives to stimulate growth in the digital economy, create new business opportunities for Intel, and expand global markets for our products. The investments may support, among other things, Intel product initiatives, emerging trends in the technology industry, or worldwide Internet deployment. We invest in companies that develop software, hardware, or services supporting our technologies. Our current investment focus areas include

Give your reaction to the story, your impression of the story, how it Essay - 2

Give your reaction to the story, your impression of the story, how it relates to your life. just basically compare them to each other - Essay Example The family in The Rocking Horse Winner also preserves their lifestyle, even when they cannot afford it: â€Å"There was always the grinding sense of the shortage of money, though the style was always kept up† (Lawrence). These stories share symbols of superficial opulence that foreshadowed their miserable endings. Miss Brill uses the fur, while The Rocking Horse Winner has the rocking horse. The rocking horse contains Pauls â€Å"secret of secrets† (Lawrence). Paul employs the horse to find luck and money, so that the whisperings in his house about having â€Å"more money† will cease. He dies as he pursues luck, which indicates that going after money as an end in itself is meaningless. In Miss Brill, fur is a dead animals skin and stands for Miss Brills life, which is equally lifeless and depends only on the life of people using it. Miss Brill also relies on using others peoples lives to fill up her empty life. She remains dead, however, being alone and poor. The Rocking Horse Winner and Miss Brill employ symbols to depict that materialism is a horrible human goal, which can only result to misery and death. Money cannot buy love or happiness. It cannot ensure loving human relationships. Paul dies believing that money is everything, while Miss Brill lives on crying inside her glassed life of delusions. They suffered tragic endings, because of their materialistic endeavors in life, and leaves behind the moral: The more people treat materiality as everything, the more that materialism actually takes their

Does an International Political System exist?

Does an International Political System exist? Adding Another Page to the International Political System’s History Book The International Political System’s existence has been questioned in every way, and a plethora of studies have been conducted either to verify its very presence or reject it. It has gone through countless criticisms and praises. But even if we identified the truth about its existence, what would be the importance of knowing if such a system existed? Perhaps it is to make the obscure world a little bit clear. We get to learn things in the system better and possibly even predict what can happen in the future. The only tough task I presume is to classify them since the scope is immense. This paper aims to dwell into the subject matter and prove that one does exist. The first part of the paper will tackle the definitions of the words, â€Å"international,† â€Å"political,† and â€Å"system,† and how they constitute a set of elements peculiar to others. Having put together their definitions, I will turn my focus to the underlying topics that conform to the International Political System’s existence. And lastly, I will provide a conclusion that is going to sum up all my points in this paper. The term â€Å"international† was popularized by a political philosopher named Jeremy Bentham at a time when nation-states were perceived to be prominent actors in the world arena.[1] Using a less authoritative definition, it is â€Å"existing, occurring, or carried on between nations,† according to The English Oxford Dictionary. Furthermore, what is political, according to David Easton, refers to the â€Å"distribution of social values[2].† Systems, however, as defined also by David Easton, are just â€Å"constructions of experiential values, impartial and are not defined by ideology.[3]† Although we are more familiar with defining systems as, â€Å"sets of interacting parts that comprise a whole.† In addition, Hedley Bull also defined international system as a union of states bounded by interaction. This interaction, though, should have a significant amount of impact on another’s behavior[4]. Therefore, an International Political System inv olves two or more states bounded in common interaction with relation to the allocation of social values. To further elaborate the specifics of defining a system, especially one that is political, I will be using David Easton’s Systems Analysis and Categories for the Systems Analysis of Politics. With Easton’s given definition of a system above, it is said to be an open and adaptive system. He suggests that social systems create an open system. An open system is a system that responds to the environment’s influences and vice versa[5]. David Easton argues that a system cannot exist in a void. He claims that system requires an environment for it to exist[6]. And this environment, which is composed of the physical, sociological, social, and psychological, should enclose a system. Therefore, the identification of boundaries is clear. The environment is divided into two parts: intra-societal and extra-societal. The intro-societal consists of systems quite similar to that of the political. These may include a system that is economic, social, etc. While on the other hand, the extra-societal encompasses systems that do not belong within the society. Systems that are international in scope fall under this category – extra-societal (also called â€Å"super systems†). Thus, an international political system is one of the said systems. Now that the definitions have been provided, I will now give topics that indirectly claim that an international political system exists. They are its very foundation of today’s system. Moreover, topics such as structure-functionalism and the identification of patterns will be discussed. A factor to consider whether or not an international political system exists is the presence of intergovernmental organizations. These organizations address the problems of its members and solve them[7]. Having said so, there is a constant interaction between states. This is accomplished through the building of institutions or modifying the old ones. Take the United Nations for example, the European Union, and the World Bank, too. The United Nations have been participating in peacekeeping missions around the globe[8]. Consequently, it is an instrument for regulating power in the international system, acts as arbitraries in pacts or agreements between states, inspires political change, builds norms, ensures development of states. The ability to intervene in the politics of others is interaction. The European Union, however, evidently presents the interdependence of each member in the system. Thus, conflict would be avoided. It is also known not just to prosper financially and politica lly, but to observe human rights and see things in a democratic manner[9]. The World Bank however hopes to eradicate poverty across the globe and provide impartiality in the progressing world[10]. All of which have goals that are not centered in just one state. The scale ranges from a regional collective to an international/world collective. Thus, intergovernmental organizations give way to the existence of an international political system. With the inevitability of intergovernmental organizations, comes the existence of international laws. In neorealism, there exists a structure occupied by anarchic units. And in order to maintain stability and remain organized within the system, established rules are to be followed[11]. These rules make up the international laws. Although the only downfall of having such international laws is the fact that it invades the sovereignty of the states; therefore, international laws are being observed with consent of the state. The state might feel threatened that its sovereignty would be at stake. Transnational institutions are able to connect people in different places, strengthening ties between them. These are corporations that are â€Å"transnational.† They go beyond what it is to be a state or a nation. Although they are not states which we usually identify as units in an international political system, they do have what it takes to interact which undeniably still affects the system. Hence, they can be seen as units of analysis on this context. Existent before and today, diplomacy has been a big factor to prove that an international political system exists. Diplomacy is the peaceful relations among state[12]. It has existed throughout the course of history, preventing wars and promoting peace within the system. Without the will of states to communicate or interact, diplomacy then would be rendered useless. And had there not been diplomacy when interaction occurred, the options would have been to ignore or to go to war. Evidently, whatever choice a state pursues inevitably affects the behavior of the others. Thus, diplomacy is vital in conforming to the presence of an international political system. Treaties are written forms wherein states agree to something. This may include two or more states. It is also ruled by international law. Then again, this is political, and it includes two or more states which are our current units of analysis. Moreover, they do constitute a system. Treaties have been prevalent throughout the course of world history. Some of them include the Westphalian Treaty, which gave the birth of the definition of a state. Armistices which are also referred to as a ceasefire among warring states, contributes to the development of an international political system[13]. Today, we can see the armistice North Korea and South Korea which has been going on for a while now. Another feature is war. War is deeply connected to culture and is even as old as man himself. Although in contemporary times, when everything is quite organized, and wars occur due to the failure of politics[14]. Conflicts spawn when interests contradict, and this is political. World War II for example, came into being because of an immense sense of pride – Nazism. This ultra-nationalistic idea had interests which contradicted many, and so a war was brought into existence. What are usually associated with wars are the formations of alliances. There could exist two factions or a bipolar system where the power rests on two parties. From a liberalist’s perspective the increasing power of an ally isn’t much of a threat and neither do you feel threatened. In fact, you feel more secure. Somehow, this interaction shows an acknowledgment of one state to recognize the other. Hence, from a liberalist’s standpoint, as opposed to realism, cooperation is best, and interaction is greater[15]. Those who conform to this conceive of an absolute gain, or a positive or a negative sum game. Wherein both parties may have a win-win situation or a lose-lose situation. Unlike from a realist’s standpoint, it is always a zero sum game where one wins and the other loses. Hence, realists believe solely on self-interests, where liberalists, on the other hand, believe in shared interests[16]. Since the structure of the international system is anarchic, as conformed to neorealism, conflicts favor the system[17]. Observing the behavior of states, they appear to be relative such as how power that exists is. States normally try to balance their power to whoever has much, or surpass them[18]. Since systems promote stability and unity, the balance of power is intrinsic to the subject matter. This is done out of security purposes, which is in fact, political. Another issue to be tackled is the existence of its boundaries. The international political system, I suppose, should be an open and adaptive system, as what David Easton envisioned for a political system[19]. It should be able to accept whatever the environment has to offer and adapt to it. In order to identify the environment, we must first know the boundaries which separate it from the system. The fact that there exists an international economic system, suggests that it is a different field from the international political system. We can already identify a hint of its environment this way. Instead of focusing on how much the international political system has, we draw our attention more on what it lacks; then systematically, we can easily identify what belongs to its environment. Many critics though such as Lampert believe that the system is too immense that it leaves no space for the environment. But then again, it has all the qualifications of a system; it is only what the syste m lacks that is part of the environment. These aforementioned topics tell us that the system does exist. Now, I will be moving to the structure-functionalism theory. It is often called as â€Å"scientific analysis[20].† It often asks the questions: 1. What patterns exist in the study? 2. What are the conditions that these pattern produce? 3. What processes exist? First, I will define what a structure is. Structures are patterns to which a process is taking place. Functions, however, is defined as â€Å"a condition resulting from the activity performed by a unit[21].† Therefore, structure-functionalism ultimately refers to the foundation of theories to which they explain a comprehensive system framework. In light of the situation of determining the existence of the international political system, the structure would refer to the disturbances that affect the behavior of the units involved. Patterns usually provide us foresight. It is the importance of studying the international political system in order to predict what could possibly happen in the future. Since it clears what is obscure, it could help us establish norms that conform to the patterns that the structure provides. Wars, for example, have been countless results of patterns. From a realist’s point of view, there exist polarities. Power, which every unit struggles for, is a social value. It is their interest and patterns such as balancing of power, offensive realism, defensive realism, come into play[22]. Whatever deviates from these patterns triggers war. It is plausible that almost anything can be quantified today. By providing a set of actions to political actors inevitably mean that system exists. Therefore, without an international political system, patterns would not be provided and understanding the political phenomena in society will be difficult. This is one of the reasons why an international political system should exist. It will provide a framework that will guide political scientists or scholars who specialize in the field of international relations. It is to provide a political map and understand the underlying causes as each situation occurs. Consequently, should this field be taken as a discipline of study, future scholars could possible devise multiple theories which can benefit the entirety of the system. Furthermore, discontinuities can pose no threat to the missing links or the gap that development took a leap. And even better, this leap could spring forward to an even farther destination. Conclusion: Of the given topics above, I have attempted to prove that an international political system exists. From the very definitions of these terms that make up the subject matter, to intergovernmental organizations that exist within the system, to international laws by which states respect and ultimately follow with consent, to transnational institutions or actors that expand or go beyond a state level of analysis, to how diplomatic relationships refer to the preservation of their respective politics without conflict, to wars that eventually happen due to the patterns provided by the international political system, to how formation of alliances meddle with the interactions of states and the influences abroad, and to the realist’s perspective of an anarchic system. Further discussion about the scope of the system has been talked about, identifying the boundaries of All these topics are involved in the activities that comprise the international political system. To identify the origins of the system, I have used the structure-functionalism theory and Systems analysis. Structure-functionalism is a foundation to many systems. It provides the patterns found in the study and used the structure-functionalism theory. I have found it useful to incorporate this field to conform to the system’s existence since it has been a foundation to many systems in the environment. It starts off by identifying patterns found in the political phenomena. Consequently, it determines the functions of each element included in the structure. Having done so, a system is created. David Easton’s analysis however of a political system states that it is adaptive and open. Moreover, he states that systems are not bounded by an ideology. Furthermore, he states that environment which encloses the political system can be divided into two: intra-societal and extra-societal. He further states that the intra-societal environment consists of systems similar to that of the political; while extra-societal, on the other hand, involves supra systems, or systems international in nature. And lastly, I have provided instances why an international political system exists and should exist. I have stated multiple assessments that could either help us get through international matters in a good way or the opposite, all depending on the existence of an international political system. Bibliography European Union. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from European Union Web site: http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm Hamilton, K., Langhorne, R. (1995). The Practice of Diplomacy. New York: Routledge. McCormick. (2004). Comparative Politics in Transition. Indiniapolis : Cengage Learning. Susser, B. (1991). Approaches to the Study of Politics. New York: Prentice Hall. The World Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from The World Bank Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/04/17/ending_extreme_poverty_and_promoting_shared_prosperity Wansbach, R., Rhodes, E. (2000). Global Politics in a Changing World. Houghton Mifflin Company. Young, O. (1968). United Nations and the International System. International Organization, Vol. 22 No. 4. [1] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, Global Politics in a Changing World (Boston:2000) [2] Bernard Susser, Approaches to the Study of Politics (New Jersey, 1991) [3] Ibid. [4] Hedley Bull, Anarchical Society (New York, 1977) [5] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [6] Ibid. [7] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, op. cit. [8] Oran R. Young, United Nations and the International System (Madison: 1968) [9] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm [10] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/about [11] David Kinsella, Bruce Russett, and Harvey Starr, World Politics: The Menu for Choice (Boston, 2010) [12] Keith Hamilton and Richard Langhorne, The Practice of Diplomacy (New York, 1995) [13] John McCormick, Comparative Politics in Transition (Indianapolis, 2007) [14] Richard W. Mansbach, op.cit. [15] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. [16] Ibid. [17] Ibid. [18] Ibid. [19] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [20] Ibid. [21] Ibid. [22] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Biological determinism is a theory that tries to explain a persons behaviour and other aspects of life in relation to his or her genetic makeup. This theory was encompasses the work of various prominent scientists such as Mendel, Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. Biological determinism abnegates the idea of the surrounding influencing the characteristics and behavioural aspects of an individual. For decades, this theory has been expounded in order to explain human behaviour comprehensively. Charles Darwin proposed heritable characteristics are determined through natural selection. Darwin was of the opinion that an individual would inherit the optimal characteristics that would ensure his survival or have a reproductive advantage. However, sociologists have strongly criticized the biological determinism theory because it does not take into account the environmental factors that affect behaviour (Banyard and Grayson, 2000). This article aims to discuss the concept of biological determ inism and the opinion of sociologists on this concept. Discussion Biologists, when referring to different behaviours and roles of individual in the society, agree that a set of predetermined biological process determine these behaviours. Therefore, people think and act in different manner because they have different development in their brains (Velden, 2010). Biological theorists are of the opinion that the chromosomes and hormones in his body control brain cell formation. For example, the male in the society are equipped with both the Y and X chromosomes whereas the women only have the X chromosome. The Y chromosome in men leads to production of testosterone and other male hormones. Therefore, the male brain develops differently from that of a woman due to the difference in genetic material in the sexes. Biologists have gone further to use the differences in male and female brain to explain the difference in behaviours between the sexes (Kronfeldner, 2009). Biological determinism operates on the assumption that all behaviours have particular causes, which are mainly genetic or related to biological functions and processes. Experiments done by Raine et al (1997) focused in the abnormalities found in the brain of murderers. Raine et al (1997) tried to find determine the common factor in murderers who had put a plea of not guilty by virtue of insanity. In the experiments, Raine et al (1997) looked at the PET scans of murderers and observed their cortical and sub-cortical brains. This experiment aimed to determine whether having brain dysfunction and abnormalities like schizophrenia are linked to the violent behaviours exhibited by the murderers. Raines experiment only focused on the innate factors while it ignored the external factors such as the environments that may control the behaviours of an individual. Biological determinism also focuses on reductionism. Reductionism views individuals as divided into hierarchical groups. Therefore, the biological determinists view the inequalities between sexes, nations, classes as intrinsic rather than extrinsic (Carolan, 2005). Therefore, this theory portrays the picture that if one person is less successful than the other is, it is s not because of the contributing factors in the environment, but because the other person is intrinsically incapable of being successful. Biological determinists therefore believe that men in the society are dominant because they are intrinsically more aggressive and rational than women. According to this theory, biologically inheritable material and not the surrounding environment determine division in the society (Carolan, 2005). It is the opinion of most sociologist that it is irrational to consider social classification as a genetic factor. This is because human from different divides and social backgrounds have been known to interact and live in similar classes. It is also logical to assume that the environment and the surrounding enforces some traits and leads success or failure of an individual in a society. It is from this mode of thinking that sociologists have formulated their theories on human behaviour and societal interaction. The external environment contributes greatly to the behaviour of a person in the society. In fact, according to sociologist the surrounding environment solely regulates behaviour. Although biologists believe that only biological processes influence behaviours, there are various flaws in this perspective. Biologists tend to ignore cognitive behaviours exhibited by individuals in their theory of biological determinism. This is where sociologist criticizes the biological determinism theory. Sociologists believe that people exhibit different behaviours depending on the surrounding environment. For decades, the sociologists view on biological determinism has been that of disapproval. Most sociologists are uneasy with the biological determinism theory because it does not fully explain behavioural exhibition in people (Carolan, 2005). Sociologists disapproval of determinism is justifiable to a given extend especially when such disapproval is guided by ideologues that seek to validate, and rectify, the status quo of the biological determinism. The argument advanced by sociologist is based on the fact biological determinists have a fear that there is a probability of l osing the genic capacity. Therefore, sociologists believe that looking very deep into the realm bio physiology to explain social phenomenon is irrational and rather irresponsible. Social scientists such Skinner believe that all behavioural aspects of a person are determined by the external stimuli (Boeree, 2006). Skinner in his theory concluded that the concept of free will is just an illusion and a persons behaviour will usually conform to his surrounding rather than be genetically determined. Skinners theory on behaviour was majorly based on operant conditioning. Skinner believed that an organism or a person operated in a specific environment with various stimuli that contributed towards specific behaviours. Therefore, skinner believed that when a person or organism is exposed to certain environment a stimulus known as the reinforcer contributed towards his repeated behavioural exhibition (Boeree, 2006). From Skinners theory, we can deduce that a behaviour followed by a reinforcing stimulus has a higher likelihood of being repeated or not. Skinner used the example of a rat in a cage with a bar or pedal. In case the rat presses the pedal or the bar, it leads to release of food pellet. Assume the rat is bouncing in the cage and accidentally presses the bar then the food pellet is released. Therefore, this rat will tend to repeat this behaviour not because it inherited such traits but because it there is a reinforcing stimulus in the environment (Boeree, 2006). Watson John supports Skinners opinion by also showing that the surrounding environment governs an individuals behaviour.   Watson assumes that behaviour exhibited by an individual can be correlated to other observable occurrences in the environment. In Watsons opinion, there are usually definite occurrences that precede and follow exhibition of certain behaviours. Watsons behaviourism theory attempts to explain the relation between stimuli in the environment and an individuals response (behaviour). Watson like Skinner borrowed his idea on behaviour from Pavlovs conditioning experiments. Watson believed that individual learned through stimuli substitution and similarly behaviours in individual are exhibited according to change in stimuli rather than genetic predispositions (Winfred, 2010). Watson became one of the many sociologists to oppose the mentalist concept. He believed that the early neuroscientists were very ignorant on how the nervous system and the brain functioned. At that time, biological determinism was widely accepted as an explanation to behavioural exhibitions. However, Watson changed this opinion by using contiguity to explain how organisms learned. Watsons theory assumed that emotions were complex expression of classical conditioning and therefore complex behaviours only came about due to combination of recognisable reflexes (Winfred, 2010). Like Skinner, Watson believed that repeated activity strengthened the learning process and the learning process is what creates the difference between human behaviour. Despite the fact that Watsons position did not explain the concept of human learning, his theory is currently considered as one of the pioneers to learning sciences. Conclusion In the society, the most obvious feature is inequality. It is obvious that some individuals have great wealth while others are poor Different groups explain these inequalities according t their preferred theory. Biological determinists believe that inequality in the society is as a result of the intrinsic factors. Sociologists on the other hand believe that social differences are as a result of extrinsic factors. Both these arguments are passionate and provide interesting view into the human behaviour and social organization.Sociologists try explaining the relation between human beings and their surrounding while neglecting the concept of biological determinism. However, socialism alone cannot explain some behavioural patterns neither can biological determinism. It is necessary for both the sociologist and biologists to move towards a relatively dynamic theory, which is open to interrelation of theories from both sides of the divide. No matter how much the sociologist may wish to sti ck to their theory, they cannot evade the complex nature of biological organisms. As much as the environment influences the behaviour, it is necessary to note that chemical reactions and hormonal changes also influence how organisms and human behave. Currently, it would be absurd to support only one theory due to the evidence available. Social theories provide their arguments, which are as compelling as the arguments provided by the biological determinists. It is therefore irrelevant for sociologist to wage war against biologists since booth theories have weaknesses, which can be augmented if the theories are combined to form a grand theory that explains human behaviour.